


Finale

by Liv_andletdie



Series: Zelink week 2018 [7]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, F/M, I’m so sorry, a whole bucket load of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 15:37:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liv_andletdie/pseuds/Liv_andletdie
Summary: The hero had reached his inevitable end. He had fought bravely and loved dearly but at the finale it was all for naught. He would receive no reward, no accolade, no grand happy ending. It was his destiny to give his life to the land.





	Finale

Everything hurt. 

Words were impossible in that moment, that moment hovering between the end and the beginning. An incredible heat bore down on him as he was blinded by ash and blood. The scorching sun caused his lips to splinter, the metallic taste of his own blood filled his mouth, and with every breath Link could feel his ribs cry out in pain. 

He would scream if he could. If there was anyone who could hear him still left on the surface. He had sent his people skyward, followed his heavenly orders and protected the ones the Goddess loved most. They were safe now, he knew, and as bitter tears welled up in his eyes he tried to be grateful for that. 

_At least I did something right,_ he thought as tears began to trail down his cheeks. 

In the distance he could see a shadow, looping through the sky like the ash from a fire. He could feel his heart slow in his chest as he watched it, trailing it’s path with clouded eyes. The shadow passed in front of the sun, suddenly lost to him, snuffed out like a candle on a dresser. Shutting his eyes to the sunlight he let himself drift, resting on the burnt out ground of what was once a forest. 

Demise had set it aflame. Taken everything he could and destroyed what he wanted. The people had put out the flames as best as they could, but still the trees had withered and died. It had been too little too late. The world he had once loved was gone. 

Footsteps like thunder shook the ground and suddenly _She_ was there beside him. White hair flowing around her shoulders as she knelt next to him, hands clawing at his tunic and hair. Cold fingers trailing over his cheeks and neck as he lay before her, a tangled broken shell of who she loved. 

“Hylia” he breathed, his throat dry and aching. He felt her pull him into her lap, the dusty earth leaving his back as she pressed his head against her shoulder. 

“My Love” she whispered, her hand trailing down to his side. He wanted to scream when her hands found the wound in his abdomen, but his voice failed him. Hylia pulled her hand back from his side, crimson as bright as her loftwing stained her skin. “You’re hurt” she choked out, her body shaking at the sight of his blood on his skin. “You were meant to be on the island with the others!”

“I wasn’t….fast...enough” he panted. He cursed the Demon who had wounded him, cursed himself for getting distracted, cursed himself for letting her down, “I’m so s-sorry” he murmured, pressing his face against her neck. Hylia threaded her hands through his hair, fingers massaging his scalp. 

“It’s alright” she murmured, rocking him gently in her arms. “It’s alright it’s going to be alright” silver tears pricked at her eyes. He was getting colder, the strength seeping from his bones as his blood soaked into the earth beneath them. “It’s all going to be alright” she clung to him, his body shaking in pain. 

“H-hylia” he choked, blood clogging his throat. She pulled back to rest her forehead against his, his blue eyes weak and almost unseeing as redness coated his teeth, “It hurts” he whispered as crimson dribbled down his chin. Hylia reached out to wipe the blood from his skin, her fingers almost burning him. Link held a fragile hand against hers, keeping her fingertips against his cheek. “I’m scared” 

He was dying. 

The hero had reached his inevitable end. He had fought bravely and loved dearly but at the finale it was all for naught. He would receive no reward, no accolade, no grand happy ending. It was his destiny to give his life to the land. 

Oh how she cursed destiny. 

Hylia pressed her lips to his head, his skin burning under her touch. He felt a shiver of pin run through him, it was getting harder to stay awake, to stay present. He tried to focus on her, picking out the silver scars that shone in the dying light of the sun. He tried to focus on the way her hair fell over her shoulder, tried to focus on her hand against his cheek. He tried to remember lying in their bed, wrapped in each others arms as the moon sailed past the stars. He tried to hold on as long as he could. 

She was talking, words lost to the evening sky as she whispered and breathed. She seemed to be telling him that he was going to be okay, that he would see the next sunrise. She tried healing incantations, prayers and curses, but nothing could stop the bleeding. Nothing would save him. Link felt his heart calm as he watched her, using his last strength to squeeze her fingers in his. 

“Thank you” he breathed, crystal tears trailing over his cheeks. 

“You have nothing to thank me for Link” She bit, silver streaking down her cheeks. Her eyes began to turn gold as she watched him fade, all strength leaving him, all fight gone. He became heavy in her arms as he tried to shake his head. His chest heaved with each laboured breath, the wound in his side growing larger. 

“Thank you” he said again, his eyes growing clear. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, mixing with his tears as he gazed on her. “Thank you for giving me the chance to love you” 

She was silent. A single tear fell from her eye, landing on the apple of his cheek. She watched as it seemed to wash away the dirt and blood on his skin leaving him fresh and healed and whole. Link’s breathing slowed, his eyes became unseeing as his head drooped back. 

Hylia looked away for a second, surveying the burnt out remains of the forest. The large smouldering tree trunk still shone red with the embers of a long dead fire. She recognized it, letting a sad smile curl at her lips. Only he would choose this place to die. 

“Look Link” she tried, tears flooding her throat as she pulled him closer to her. “This is where we first kissed” Link was silent, heart thumping weakly against her. A steady drumbeat that told her she still had a few moments left, a few fleeting seconds

And then it stopped. 

His eyes had slid shut, no more pain or suffering marred his features as his head rested in the crook of her elbow. He looked like he could be sleeping. Hylia wanted him to be sleeping. More tears began to flood her cheeks, molten silver clogging up her throat. 

“Look Link” she tried again, vainly begging for some response, “please look… open your eyes. Wake up Link please” Her sobs grew as she buried her face in his neck, all warmth and life gone from him now. 

“Please Link” 

_“Open your eyes”_

_”Wake up Link”_

The young man opened his eyes to shining blue lights. A voice, faint in the back of his memory beckoning him to awaken from his slumber. A voice that was so familiar, he must have heard it before… maybe in a dream. Silver hair and golden eyes came to mind but before he could remember a face or a name they were gone. 

_It must have been a dream,_ He thought, wiping agonized tears from his cheeks. _It couldn’t have been anything other than a dream._

_~Fin~_

**Author's Note:**

> ZELINK WEEK IS DONE AND I’M PROUD OF MYSELF. I finished of the week the way I started it, with BOTW Zelink angst this time with a Hylink flavouring. (I’m sorry I had too, the parallels between BOTW Zelink and Hylink were to strong for me to ignore!) I want to thank everyone who has stuck by me this week and who has supported my writing. I couldn’t do this without you x Keep your eyes peeled for future projects. Like a Modern TP AU, a Smutty Sequel to “Water”, and a little bit more Hylink x


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